Artist, writer, teacher, Jane of all trades, living life to the dregs.

Wednesday, July 04, 2012

A Day Entirely in the Imperative

Blink. Again. Spread your arms and yawn. Slide out of your bed, arch
your back, and creep catlike to the bathroom. Now wake up. Wake up for real.
See the world, not just as you've always
thought of it in the morning of a new day but as it really is. Pay attention to
the details in the grooved bark of a tree or the spots on a butterfly's wings or the
white foam on the tip of the ocean waves. Choose today to become truly aware as
the story unfolds and plots crash together in front of your toast and orange
juice.

Walk out into the sunshine or clouds of the day clothed with peace.
Open the car doors and drive away grateful to God that it runs and moves and
doesn't explode when you turn the key in the ignition. Don't rage at the crazy
driving man who doesn't stop at the stop sign and don't swear at the woman who
can't figure out where she's going. Give thanks for your parking spot, near or
far.

Enter your workplace, glad for a profession, a way to provide for
yourself, a place to learn new things, a way to serve like Jesus did.
Communicate open heartedly and reach out to the people around you. Love them
because you are commanded to. Love them because God does. Love them because red
blood has been shed.

Breathe. Pray. Admit your empty inadequacy and your hollow weakness.
Suck in another breath and fill your lungs with air. Be filled with the breath
of life, the Spirit of all grace. Be thankful for that air and that grace. But
turn your heart to be thankful not only in the pleasant graces but also in the
severe mercies, the endings in things as well as the beginnings. Feel the pain
of the losses and grief but rejoice. Rejoice in the trials, troubles, and
sorrow. Seek Christ's grace, Christ's goodness, Christ's joy. Again, be
thankful.

Work hard. Glorify God in what you do. And at the end of the day return
home and value that you have an address to put on forms and a pillow to rest
your head upon. Be a blessing to the people in your home, not a curse. Smile.
Say hello and goodbye, please and thank you.

When you eat, consider how death gives life when the body of the dead
is consumed by the living. Remember the sacred things and how whenever we eat
of bread or drink of cup we proclaim something. Proclaim death purposefully,
resurrection gladly, and Jesus' return with sure hope. Do not eat or drink in
vain, but with community, gratitude, humility, and joy.

And at the end, after the sun has set, lay yourself down, weary from
fully living a whole day. Rest and pray and commune with the God who filled each
moment with life and joy more than any one of us could manage to grasp in those
moments. Then sleep well and peacefully preparing yourself for the next day's
gifts to be revealed.